The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-24
FEMALE PHYSICIANS.
Ono of Their Number Speaks About Their
suqTs7s in the East and West.


Sup.s7s in the East and West.
Miss Harriet Post, talented Young
lady who has been practicing pkysi-
clan in New York City for eight years,
in passing through Pittsburgh on her
way to the East after her vacation in
her Western home, remained over few
hours and chatted pleasantly with
some lady friends concerning women
in the medical profession. 'In the
Middle States" said she, ''the female
physician has made but small head
way; she is looked upon with suspicion,
and in many cases as some wild ami
NAL to be severely let alone.
''In the East and in the extreme West
it is different. In the West the female
doctor, like the female farmer, is grow
ing up with the country, and if she
proves herself a woman of sense and
understanding she is consulted in cases
of Illness, and her advice received with
respect and followed with obedience.
In the East, while not exactly on the
same plane with the male practitioner,
yet her skill is freely acknowledged
and her services constantly called into
requsition. There are 4 great number
of lady physicians in and about New
York City. We have our shingles out,
! and we make, take it all in all, nice
round sum of money each year. One
1lthi@g we do dislike, though, and that
/ IG fn nnIlnnt hills D,t
in philosophical light, the principal
reason for disliking to collect bills is
the fear Of losing patients. No pun in
tended" laughed the lady, cor fun
either. We send out bills with fear
and trembling, not knowing whether
they will work our destruction or other
wise. AS class we are conservative;
in fact, we are forced to be. In cases
of kill or cure none but the very bravest
dare to undertake, because of the kill.
A man rarely hesitates on account of
the kill, but to us it ever remains.
GLOW do we get into practice? Well,
our connection with college brings
practice to us. By the time we are
graduated we have pretty fair start,
and all that remains is for us to rent an
office and put out our sign.
"The medical colleges are more strict
with lady students than with the gentle
men. In the first place a good high
school examination is required ofladies
before they are admitted. This the
gentlemen, except in rare instances,
may omit. Another thing, when Il lady
decides to study medicine as profess
sion she goes to college to study and to
work, while it is frequently the case
with male students that they are sent
to such departments by enthusiastic
parents to be made doctors, and, in
consequence, either play or study to
suit themselves. Envious of each other?
Not generally speaking. Of course it
is not pleasant to see an old patient
call another lady physician, particu-
larry if one has cured at other times.
and not deserved the slight. Some of
the female physicians in New York
make hosts of friends in Il professional
way. Some Of them, after leaving the
city and settling hundreds of miles
away, are called to New York by some
favorite child of fortune, who imagines
that no other physician can fill the place
of the absent one. All expenses are
paid, of course, and q goodly sized check
pays for time and troiSble. Lady ply
sicians, too, are selected more frequent
ly to travel with wealthy families While
this is considered by some as bad
thing for practice, yet generally gives
a physician prestige, and it is always a
clear case of financial gain.
Zone lady physician of my acquaint-
ance in New York is the admiration of
the male as well as female members of
the medical profession; sheputs through
no end of work, and is Il thorough bust
ness woman along with all else She
holds clinics at the morgue, delivers
lectures to students, attends to q LARGE
practice, dictates articles for the med
ical journals, and has found her way
lately into the pockets of number of
wealthy New York people so that q new
hospital will shortly be erected with the
funds she has secured She interests
everybody in her work, and is certainly
one of the successful female physicians
of New York.
Ever expect to marryP" echoed the
brightlittle lady. why and the blue
eyes twinkled with merriment, 'what
man in his right mind would ever marry
a woman doctor?" -PittS6ur9h Com
naercidJ Gazette.
Flat Chests in Society.